Flight Changes... No notice - and impossible flights.
Jun 13, 2019, 7:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: San Antonio TX
Programs: AA EXP - 3MM, HiltonHonors Diamond, HGVC Elite Owner
Posts: 17
Flight Changes... No notice - and impossible flights.
We are flying to Stockholm for a cruise - and returning from Oslo next month. I went online this weekend to make sure our seat numbers were accurate... and discovered there were flight changes - and I had NOT been notified in any way. Original flights had us arriving in Oslo at 1:10 PM, leaving for ORD at 3:15 PM, where we'd connect to SAT that night. The new schedule had us landing at 1:10PM, but departing 4 hours earlier at 9AM (the same day).
I got it straightened out... but then decided to check our our flight to Kona in September. Yeah, you guessed it. We were to board the connecting flight in LAX two minutes before we're scheduled to land. Why would we be put on flights that are impossible? Again... I have not received an email or notice in any way, shape or form. I've not called them yet... but I'm dumbfounded.
We welcome any insight.
I got it straightened out... but then decided to check our our flight to Kona in September. Yeah, you guessed it. We were to board the connecting flight in LAX two minutes before we're scheduled to land. Why would we be put on flights that are impossible? Again... I have not received an email or notice in any way, shape or form. I've not called them yet... but I'm dumbfounded.
We welcome any insight.
Jun 13, 2019, 8:07 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
This is the kind of crap that happens all the time. You did exactly the right thing but periodically checking on your reservations. Only way to beat AA at their game is to stay ahead of them. I'm not sure what you can do differently. AA does send out notifications of schedule changes by email but they're not in real time.
Jun 13, 2019, 8:15 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAS, ZQN
Programs: UA PP (2MM), BA gold
Posts: 2,198
Nothing abnormal with AA or many others... After 3MM with AA you should be used to it. I check my many bookings on a regular basis and also use Check My Trip to assist in updates. I look at the changes as a positive as gives my options may not have had when booking for the price and option to cancel and re-book if pricing decreased.
Jun 14, 2019, 5:40 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
I can't confirm the authenticity of the following information. But, I used to work for a huge travel agency that sold both wholesale and retail airline tickets. I had a friend who worked in the "Air Department". Part of her job was dealing with schedule changes.
She explained that airlines purposely do not send out schedule change notifications in real time. She provided two explanations as to why airline operate that way.
First, schedule changes don't always stick. For flights months away, the airline may make multiple changes to the schedule before they finalize on the "best" mix of equipment and flight times. Instead of sending multiple schedule change notifications, they might wait until the schedule is more concrete.
Second, they don't want to overwhelm the website or the call center. If everyone is notified of a schedule change all at once, you run the risk of getting thousands of phone calls immediately. Instead, they send emails in reverse chronological order (meaning soonest first) by flight date. In theory, everyone that had a flight change on a certain day will be notified at the same time.
Again, that's just second hand information. It's also possible that American dropped the ball and didn't contact you.
She explained that airlines purposely do not send out schedule change notifications in real time. She provided two explanations as to why airline operate that way.
First, schedule changes don't always stick. For flights months away, the airline may make multiple changes to the schedule before they finalize on the "best" mix of equipment and flight times. Instead of sending multiple schedule change notifications, they might wait until the schedule is more concrete.
Second, they don't want to overwhelm the website or the call center. If everyone is notified of a schedule change all at once, you run the risk of getting thousands of phone calls immediately. Instead, they send emails in reverse chronological order (meaning soonest first) by flight date. In theory, everyone that had a flight change on a certain day will be notified at the same time.
Again, that's just second hand information. It's also possible that American dropped the ball and didn't contact you.
Jun 14, 2019, 6:10 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
AA, just like UA & DL, works backwards in time. Your flight isn't until next month and you presumably have BA segments which are not on the same GDS.
This is why experienced travelers routinely check their reservations and take appropriate action. It is worth noting that the auto-rebooking feature is simply the first step. There may well be better or preferable routings and you should always look at those before calling in.
This is why experienced travelers routinely check their reservations and take appropriate action. It is worth noting that the auto-rebooking feature is simply the first step. There may well be better or preferable routings and you should always look at those before calling in.
Jun 14, 2019, 8:06 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,107
Had BA codeshares all on AA metal last month. 1 domestic, 1 intl segment each way.
Outbound domestic changed departure time twice, and I’ll hand it to BA for notifying pretty quickly of the change each time, and it wasn’t even their metal.
I don’t recall ever receiving such a notification from AA in advance. Always had to find the surprise myself (which is why once a week I take 10 minutes to double check any upcoming flights, regardless of carrier.)
Just remember that if the flight changes by more than 30 minutes, you can call and change to another flight. If it changes by less, but puts you under MCT, you can also change to another flight. Just be sure to have options available to feed the phone agent and you’ll be fine.
Outbound domestic changed departure time twice, and I’ll hand it to BA for notifying pretty quickly of the change each time, and it wasn’t even their metal.
I don’t recall ever receiving such a notification from AA in advance. Always had to find the surprise myself (which is why once a week I take 10 minutes to double check any upcoming flights, regardless of carrier.)
Just remember that if the flight changes by more than 30 minutes, you can call and change to another flight. If it changes by less, but puts you under MCT, you can also change to another flight. Just be sure to have options available to feed the phone agent and you’ll be fine.
Jun 14, 2019, 10:24 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
I can't confirm the authenticity of the following information. But, I used to work for a huge travel agency that sold both wholesale and retail airline tickets. I had a friend who worked in the "Air Department". Part of her job was dealing with schedule changes.
She explained that airlines purposely do not send out schedule change notifications in real time. She provided two explanations as to why airline operate that way.
First, schedule changes don't always stick. For flights months away, the airline may make multiple changes to the schedule before they finalize on the "best" mix of equipment and flight times. Instead of sending multiple schedule change notifications, they might wait until the schedule is more concrete.
Second, they don't want to overwhelm the website or the call center. If everyone is notified of a schedule change all at once, you run the risk of getting thousands of phone calls immediately. Instead, they send emails in reverse chronological order (meaning soonest first) by flight date. In theory, everyone that had a flight change on a certain day will be notified at the same time.
Again, that's just second hand information. It's also possible that American dropped the ball and didn't contact you.
She explained that airlines purposely do not send out schedule change notifications in real time. She provided two explanations as to why airline operate that way.
First, schedule changes don't always stick. For flights months away, the airline may make multiple changes to the schedule before they finalize on the "best" mix of equipment and flight times. Instead of sending multiple schedule change notifications, they might wait until the schedule is more concrete.
Second, they don't want to overwhelm the website or the call center. If everyone is notified of a schedule change all at once, you run the risk of getting thousands of phone calls immediately. Instead, they send emails in reverse chronological order (meaning soonest first) by flight date. In theory, everyone that had a flight change on a certain day will be notified at the same time.
Again, that's just second hand information. It's also possible that American dropped the ball and didn't contact you.
The best advice is to put it on your calendar to check future reservations each Monday evening (or every other Monday evening).
Jun 14, 2019, 10:31 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
I can't confirm the authenticity of the following information. But, I used to work for a huge travel agency that sold both wholesale and retail airline tickets. I had a friend who worked in the "Air Department". Part of her job was dealing with schedule changes.
She explained that airlines purposely do not send out schedule change notifications in real time. She provided two explanations as to why airline operate that way.
First, schedule changes don't always stick. For flights months away, the airline may make multiple changes to the schedule before they finalize on the "best" mix of equipment and flight times. Instead of sending multiple schedule change notifications, they might wait until the schedule is more concrete.
Second, they don't want to overwhelm the website or the call center. If everyone is notified of a schedule change all at once, you run the risk of getting thousands of phone calls immediately. Instead, they send emails in reverse chronological order (meaning soonest first) by flight date. In theory, everyone that had a flight change on a certain day will be notified at the same time.
Again, that's just second hand information. It's also possible that American dropped the ball and didn't contact you.
She explained that airlines purposely do not send out schedule change notifications in real time. She provided two explanations as to why airline operate that way.
First, schedule changes don't always stick. For flights months away, the airline may make multiple changes to the schedule before they finalize on the "best" mix of equipment and flight times. Instead of sending multiple schedule change notifications, they might wait until the schedule is more concrete.
Second, they don't want to overwhelm the website or the call center. If everyone is notified of a schedule change all at once, you run the risk of getting thousands of phone calls immediately. Instead, they send emails in reverse chronological order (meaning soonest first) by flight date. In theory, everyone that had a flight change on a certain day will be notified at the same time.
Again, that's just second hand information. It's also possible that American dropped the ball and didn't contact you.
(it's also not unique to AA, my experience is that DL has more frequent schedule changes at least on my routes).
Jun 14, 2019, 12:25 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,194
depends who you booked with.
When AA changed one of my forthcoming flights it was Expedia who sent me the notification as I had booked with them.
When AA changed one of my forthcoming flights it was Expedia who sent me the notification as I had booked with them.
Jun 15, 2019, 5:41 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445
It's not unique that AA doesn't send you an e-mail. In 2019 I haven't received a single e-mail from AA about schedule changes or flight cancellations, despite my e-mail address has been in the reservations. BA, IB and AY are much more reliable in terms of getting the message across.
Jun 15, 2019, 12:03 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: San Antonio TX
Programs: AA EXP - 3MM, HiltonHonors Diamond, HGVC Elite Owner
Posts: 17
Hi, everyone...
Thanks for the replies... and yes, I as 3+ MM know to check my flights. But I've always received notice of the changes. Also, I've never had a situation where the revised flight landed 4 hours after the next flight is scheduled to leave. To add the the frustration, the AA Agent started blaming/lecturing me about it.
After this experience, I checked all my flights for the rest of the year... and had a similar situation going to Hawaii in September. Flight departure time of first flight changed, so flight is scheduled to land 2 minutes after connecting flight departs. I had to move the flights up a day to take care of it.
I've not flown much since March of 2016 due to some career moves... this seems a lot worse than it was then... or have I just forgotten?
Thanks for the replies... and yes, I as 3+ MM know to check my flights. But I've always received notice of the changes. Also, I've never had a situation where the revised flight landed 4 hours after the next flight is scheduled to leave. To add the the frustration, the AA Agent started blaming/lecturing me about it.
After this experience, I checked all my flights for the rest of the year... and had a similar situation going to Hawaii in September. Flight departure time of first flight changed, so flight is scheduled to land 2 minutes after connecting flight departs. I had to move the flights up a day to take care of it.
I've not flown much since March of 2016 due to some career moves... this seems a lot worse than it was then... or have I just forgotten?